Acetylene-gas generator.



N06, 666,724. Patented Ian. 29, 1am.

F. s. woun. ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed July 20, 1899.) (N Model.) 2 She'etsSheet l.

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No. 666,724. Patented Ian; 29,-l90l.

F. s. 'woon.

AC'ETYLENE GAS- GENERATOR.

(Application filed July 20, 1899.) (No Modal.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Invent) r,

Frank W001i,-

His fit foray NiTE STATES .AT FEQEQ FRANK S. WOOD, OF BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,724, dated January29, 1901.

Application filed July 20, 1899. Serial No. 724,498. No model-J To allwhom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK S. WOOD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Acetylene-Gas Machine, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention belongs to that class of acetylene-gas machinesin which thecarbid of calcium is supported immediately above the surface of a bodyof water which is caused to re- .cede therefrom or to rise into contactthere. with in accordance with the pressure of the gas being generatedthereby. In machines of this class I have found it necessary, in orderto thoroughly adapt them for ordinary unskilled householders, to providemeans whereby the recharging-opening cannot be uncovered withoutautomatically closing the pipe leading to the gasometer. Otherwise ifthe attempt were made to recharge the generator when any lights wereabout or other source of combustion the gas would rush back from thegasometer in such volume as to make great danger of an explosion. Thedevice which I have invented for this purpose and a further means bywhich during the same pe riod any in rush of water to the generator canbe also automatically prevented are set forth in the drawings formingpart of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical centralsection of my complete machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig.3 is an elevation, upon a larger scale, of the means for automaticallypreventing the removal of the cover without a closure of the gas-exitpipe; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same. 1

Turning to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the main body of the machinecomprises the tubular section 1, having its top 2 and bottom 3 in theshape of truncated cones. The top is closed by means of the removablecover 5, while the bottom has a valve 30, through which to remove theresidual lime. Legs 16 permit of the easy introduction of a pail beneaththe said valve for the reception of such residual lime and the waterdischarging with it.

Fixed about the upper portion of the tubular body 1 is a hollow annulusor annular equilibration-chamber 4, which has no other connection withthe interior of the tubular body or generator proper save through thepipe 40.

The carbid is introduced into the generator when the cover 5 is removedand is supported upon the grating 10. The generated gas passes from thegenerator to the gasometer or elsewhere through the pipe 20, and thispipe is closed when desired by the valve 21.

The cover 5 is held in place upon the flanged edges of thegenerator-opening 6 by means of the handscrew 50, Whose thrust ismaintained by the spider 52. To removably hold said spider, theextremities of its arms are adapted to come beneath the ears 53, rigidlyrising from the said flanged edges 54. By giving said spider a slightturn to the right its arm ends come beneath said ears and sustain thethrust of the screw 51, while a slight turn to the left brings said endsout from such engagement and permits both their removal and that of thecover 5.

To provide the means for compelling the closure of the valve 21 beforesaid cover can be thus removed, I rigidly mount upon the valve-stem 22an arm 23, adapted when the valve is closed to reach closely above thecover 5. In this manner before such cover can be raised this arm must beswung to one side and said valve thereby closed. The elbow 24:,projecting laterally from said arm 23, forces said arm, and hence thevalve 21, to be moved far enough to insure absolute closure of thelatter before such removal of the cover can be effected.

WVithin the equilibration-chamber 4 is contained the surplus water,which by its oscillation back and forth through the pipe 40 inaccordance with the variations in gas-pressure provides the extramoistening of the carbid as required, and thereby renders the generationof the gas in inverse proportion to the pressure in the generator. Theinstant the cover 5 is raised from the top of the generator, allpressure within the same being removed, the water in the chamber 4:seeks its level in the generator. In doing this whatever carbid isremaining on the grating 10 is immediately flooded and a great outrushand escape of gas is caused. To prevent this by automatically closingthe valve 41, which I provide for the pipe 40, whenever the generator isto be recharged, I have said valves 21 41 in substantial alinement andunite the stems thereof by means of the rod passing through a tube 42 inthe chamber 4. In this manner the same device that closes the valve 21similarly closes the valve 41, and hence when the generatoris rechargedboth the pipe 20 and the pipe 40 are tightly closed, and not only can nogas escape from the gasometer, but no water can flow from the chamber 4to the generator.

During the same time that the generator is recharged the valve should beopened and the waste products of the generation removed. This removal ofcourse causes all the Water in the generator to pass out therewith. The

proper amount of Water is supplied to the generator after the recharginghas been completed, the cover 5 fastened in place, and the arm 23 swungback into its normal position in the following manner: In the firstplace all the water in the chamber 4 will have flowed down into thegenerator upon the moment of the opening of its valve 41. The attendantsimply lifts up the flap 44 and pours water into the chamber 4 until itbegins to escape from the open nozzle 43. The generation of gas will ofcourse have begun the instant the level of the water passing from thechamber 4 through the pipe reaches the carbid, and the pressure of thegas being generated will probably reach its maximum limit at about thetime when the water being poured into the chamber 4 begins to escapefrom the nozzle 43. Hence but little water will be lost through saidnozzle; but it is quite immaterial whether much does or does not, theexcellence of this feature of the machine consisting in its absoluteindifference to the lack of skill or experience on the part of theindividual in charge. He cannot get too much water into the generator.

-What I claim as my invention, and for which I desire Letters Patent, isas follows, to wit:

In an acetylene-gas machine, the combina' tion of the generator, theequilibration-chamber surrounding the upper part thereof, the pipejoining said chamber and generator, the valve in said pipe, the tubereaching verticall; through said chamber in alinement with said valve,the pipe leading from the generator, the valve therefor, the rod joiningsaid valves through said tube and adapted to give them joint action, andmeans connected with the one of said valves for forcingit to be closedbefore the generator can be opened.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention I have hereunto set myhand this 12th day of July, 1899.

FRANK S.- \VOOD.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM F. ALMY, A. B. UPHAM.

